A Master Plan is one of the most important documents that can be prepared by an Airport.

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Donna Alison Watkins
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1 The Master Plan

2 A Master Plan is one of the most important documents that can be prepared by an Airport. A Master Plan is a visionary and a strategic document detailing planning initiatives for the Airport site. The Master Plan also contains an environment strategy that describes how environmental issues associated with airport activities will be managed. A Master Plan is a statutory document under the Airports Act As part of the planning framework, GCAPL is required to prepare an Airport Master Plan every five years detailing the twenty-year strategic direction for the Airport. While the regulatory driver for the Master Plan is important, GCAPL sees the 2017 Master Plan as a key document for the community and local and state governments. It provides a clear direction for the future planning of airport facilities and acts as an important link to other planning strategies for the locality of the Airport and the region. The Master Plan describes future land uses, types of permitted development, environmental impacts and noise, including the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF). 2.1 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK Gold Coast Airport, being a federally-leased, core-regulated airport, is subject to the planning framework prescribed in the Airports Act. The Airports Act and associated Regulations are the statutory controls for ongoing regulation of development activities on airport land, for both aeronautical and non-aeronautical purposes. The Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIRD) is responsible for administering the Airports Act. Section 70 of the Airports Act requires there be a final Master Plan for the Airport that has been approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport (the Minister). The purpose of a Master Plan is: a) To establish the strategic direction for efficient and economic development at the Airport over the planning period of the plan b) To provide for the development of additional uses of the Airport site c) To indicate to the public the intended uses of the Airport site d) To reduce potential conflicts between uses of the Airport site, and to ensure that uses of the Airport site are compatible with the areas surrounding the Airport e) To ensure that operations at the Airport are undertaken in accordance with relevant environmental legislation and standards f) To establish a framework for assessing compliance at the Airport with relevant environmental legislation and standards g) To promote continual improvement of environmental management at the Airport. 13

The Master Planning process is controlled by a range of Commonwealth legislation regarding: Environmental management Airspace protection Land use planning and development controls Building and

3 The Master Planning process is controlled by a range of Commonwealth legislation regarding: Environmental management Airspace protection Land use planning and development controls Building and construction approval processes Pricing and quality of service monitoring. In addition to the Airports Act and associated Regulations, applicable environmental and cultural heritage provisions that can affect the Airport s operation include the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth). Airspace administration and regulation is undertaken by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Airservices Australia in accordance with the Airspace Act 2007 (Cth) and the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Cth). Airport safety considerations are administered by CASA through the Civil Aviation Act 1988, the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (Cth) and the Civil Aviation Regulations Appendix A outlines the requirements for an Airport Master Plan under s. 71 of the Airports Act and provides a reference guide to how each legislative requirement has been addressed in the Master Plan. While the Airports Act only requires a Master Plan for the federally-leased component of the Airport land, this Master Plan also includes proposed development on the land leased in New South Wales and freehold owned Mallaraba Car Park in order to provide a more holistic description of future airport developments. The Mallaraba Car Park and New South Wales lease area is shown in Figure 3.4. Development and land management within these areas falls outside the jurisdiction of the Airports Act. Gold Coast Airport has a curfew in operation from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am daily (Queensland time) under the Air Navigation (Coolangatta Airport Curfew) Regulations While most aircraft operations are prohibited during this period, there is provision to operate emergency aircraft, some small jets, propeller-driven aircraft, freight aircraft and a limited number of domestic jets. 14 Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan

4 Master Plan Drafting and Approvals Process Prepare Preliminary Draft Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan Public Consultation Prepare Draft Master Plan Minister Decision Final Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan Figure 2.1 Master Plan Drafting and Approvals Process

5 2.2 MASTER PLAN PROCESS In developing a Master Plan, GCAPL is required to publish a preliminary draft Master Plan and provide the opportunity for public comment. Consultation is to occur with state and local governments, airport stakeholders and the community. Prior to the public comment period of the Master Plan, state and local governments were notified of the intention to submit a draft Master Plan to the Minister, a requirement under s. 79 of the Airports Act. GCAPL made available copies of the preliminary draft Master Plan and invited members of the public and local stakeholders to provide comment. Following consultation, comments received during the public comment period will be collated, reviewed and given due regard in preparing the draft Master Plan. GCAPL submitted a draft Master Plan, along with a certificate of public comment, to the Minister for a decision. The Minister is required to reach a decision within 50 business days with the option to extend the statutory period by a further 10 business days if required. Where the Minister neither approves nor refuses to approve the draft Master Plan within 50 business days of receiving necessary documents and information, the Minister is taken to have approved the draft Master Plan. GCAPL will continue to engage with the community and industry stakeholders after the formal master planning period. The final Master Plan was published following Ministerial approval. The process for preparation of the Master Plan is shown in Figure MASTER PLAN CONSULTATION During preparation of the preliminary draft Master Plan, GCAPL established a formal consultation program with a wide range of government, industry and community representatives. This consultation was crucial in developing the various Master Plan components. During the statutory 60 business day public comment period of the preliminary draft Master Plan, a much wider group of stakeholders and the public was engaged through a range of forums, publications and public notices. To satisfy the requirements under s. 80 of the Airports Act, GCAPL consulted with the following stakeholders: Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development Federal Department of the Environment and Energy Queensland Government Queensland Government Authorities New South Wales Government New South Wales Government authorities City of Gold Coast Council (CGCC) Tweed Shire Council (TSC) Federal members of parliament State members of parliament Local councillors Airservices Australia Civil Aviation Safety Authority Airlines Industry groups Users of the Airport Community CACG ANACC. After completion of the 60 business day public comment period, GCAPL considered the comments received and revised the draft Master Plan as required. The draft Master Plan is submitted to the Minister, together with a written statement listing the names of the persons consulted and a summary of the views expressed by the persons consulted and all comments. 16 Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan

6 The Master Plan 2.4 COMMUNITY FORUMS GCAPL has a number of key community forums in place and presents regular updates to local community groups. It maintains extensive public information on the Gold Coast Airport website relating to airport operations, activities and complaint handling processes. GCAPL also works with Airservices Australia to monitor local aircraft noise complaints. GCAPL is committed to ongoing and proactive communication and engagement with the local community about airport development and growth activity and how this impacts on and supports the local community. Any major development foreshadowed by the Master Plan will be subject to separate Commonwealth approval including industry consultation and a further opportunity for public comment. 2.5 MASTER PLAN ENGAGEMENT GCAPL established the following objectives for a major community engagement program to support the release of the preliminary draft Master Plan: Raise awareness of the Master Plan by proactively engaging with key community, industry and government stakeholders while the preliminary draft Master Plan was being prepared and during the public comment period Ensure the community and stakeholders are well informed of the purpose and process of the Airport Master Plan Key stakeholders and community to be a part of the master planning process through meaningful dialogue in an informative, open, timely and responsive manner Provide opportunities for stakeholders to express their opinions on information in the preliminary draft Master Plan and provide channels for feedback Ensure feedback from the community is captured and considered in the Master Plan. A range of stakeholder engagement activities occurred during the public comment period which included: Public information sessions held in key locations across the region to inform the community and stakeholders about the Master Plan Public displays Printed copies of the preliminary draft Master Plan were available at Gold Coast Airport reception and at local council libraries GCAPL media releases, fact sheets, information brochures and Frequently Asked Questions providing information on the future planning initiatives for the Airport Information on the Gold Coast Airport website including copies of the Master Plan for download and an online feedback submission form GCAPL s Facebook and Twitter pages to promote the community consultation period and seek feedback Advertisements in local newspapers and community publications outlining the community consultation period and advising relevant forums and sessions that the community can attend to learn more Stakeholder presentations and face-to-face briefings. The Master Plan consultation stages required to fulfill the requirements of the Airports Act are outlined in Figure

7 Master Plan Public Comment and Review Process Stage 1: Prior to Public Comment During the preparation of the exposure draft Master Plan, Gold Coast Airport has consulted with a range of key stakeholders at all levels of government, local industry and statutory bodies. The purpose of consultation at this stage was to gather background and supporting information that is required to prepare the preliminary draft master plan. Stage 2: Exposure Draft Consultation with the Federal Government In June 2016, the exposure draft Master Plan was presented to the Federal Government, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (DIRD) prior to formal consultation. The preliminary draft Master Plan was updated prior to public consultation. Stage 3: Public Comment and Consultation Period Gold Coast Airport carried out extensive consultation with the community, key stakeholders, business community and airport operators during the 60 day statutory consultation period. This included formal presentations to CACG, ANACC and representatives of local and state governments. In addition public information sessions were held at key locations across the region. The Master Plan was provided online and in hard copy at accessible locations. Stage 4: Ministerial Review Gold Coast Airport is providing a draft Master Plan to DIRD for Ministerial approval. Stage 5: Implementation of the Master Plan Subject to approval of the 2017 Master Plan, Gold Coast Airport will continue to liaise with community and industry stakeholders. Figure 2.2 Master Plan Public Comment and Review Process 18 Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan

8 The Master Plan 2.6 PREVIOUS MASTER PLANS A draft Airport Master Plan was first produced for the then Coolangatta Airport in 1994 by the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC). The introduction of the Airports Act in 1996 provided a regulatory framework for Federal-lease airport operators. The Airports Act includes the requirement for leased Federal airports to produce a new Master Plan every five years. GCAPL acquired the lease of Gold Coast Airport in 1998 and was required to submit a draft Master Plan to the Federal Minister, which received approval in Master Plans for Gold Coast Airport also received approval in 2006 and 2011 (Figure 2.3) Draft Master Plan (Federal Airports Corporation) Prior to 1998 the FAC was not required to produce an Airport Master Plan. Despite this, the FAC still produced a draft Master Plan. The draft 1994 Master Plan for the Coolangatta Airport (as it was then known) outlined a vision to continue to grow the Airport space and to improve access to and from the Airport. The Master Plan had a broad focus including land acquisition, continued expansion of airport facilities and improved vehicle access. Key opportunities identified in the 1994 Master Plan were extending the main runway south in two stages to 2,550 metres and 2,858 metres and a parallel taxiway system to support long-haul domestic and/or short to medium haul international operations Airport Master Plan The 2006 Airport Master Plan was centred on a vision for the Airport to develop a facility that met the growing needs of family, business and tourist travellers and made a major contribution to the economic and social health of the community it served. The key objectives were consistent with those identified in the 2001 Master Plan with a strong focus on providing precincts for non-aviation commercial and industrial development Airport Master Plan The vision of the 2011 Master Plan was to position the airport as a major economic generator, specifically for tourism, in the south east Queensland and northern New South Wales regions. Some of the key priorities identified for achieving this vision included: A change of use within the Terminal Precinct in the area nominated as a Business Park in the 2006 Master Plan. The change was to include aviation related facilities to accommodate the forecast demand Development of improved vehicular access from the Gold Coast Highway and a future provision for a possible rail terminus Airport Master Plan The 2001 Airport Master Plan was the first to comply with the Airports Act for Gold Coast Airport. This Master Plan was focused on Transit Oriented Development and a phased, flexible approach for terminal development, with the aim of further increasing the Airport s land and growing the Airport s functionality. A notable opportunity identified in the 2001 Airport Master Plan was the provision of a possible rail terminus adjacent to the main domestic terminal, which could eventually be incorporated into a Multi-Modal Transit Centre. 19

1994 Draft Airport Master Plan 2001 Airport Master Plan 2006 Airport Master Plan 2011 Airport Master Plan» Land acquisition» Runway extention» Aviation facilities» Runway extension» Phased terminal

protection» Reallocation of land for aviation facilities» Planning for major terminal upgrade» Planning for new navigational instrumentation Figure 2.3 Master Table Plan 2.2 Cycle Master Plan Cycle 2.

being flexible to adapt to changing conditions. The Twenty Year Airport Development Plan is depicted in Figure 2.4.

Timing of these potential projects is subject to further detailed investigation and funding commitments, however, protecting these transport corridors is critical to preserve the future economic

9 1994 Draft Airport Master Plan 2001 Airport Master Plan 2006 Airport Master Plan 2011 Airport Master Plan» Land acquisition» Runway extention» Aviation facilities» Runway extension» Phased terminal development» External road and rail connectivity» Non-aviation commercial development» Phased terminal development» External road and rail connectivity» Non-aviation commercial development» Land protection» Reallocation of land for aviation facilities» Planning for major terminal upgrade» Planning for new navigational instrumentation Figure 2.3 Master Table Plan 2.2 Cycle Master Plan Cycle MASTER PLAN This Master Plan intends to provide a strong strategic vision for Gold Coast Airport consistent with regional economic conditions and major infrastructure delivery programs while being flexible to adapt to changing conditions. The Twenty Year Airport Development Plan is depicted in Figure 2.4. The Master Plan accommodates a new access road from the Gold Coast Highway and a range of future transport linkages including the Gold Coast light rail network and Gold Coast heavy rail extension. Timing of these potential projects is subject to further detailed investigation and funding commitments, however, protecting these transport corridors is critical to preserve the future economic growth advantages of enhanced connectivity. These significant passenger transit opportunities will continue to be considered during future master planning cycles with appropriate responses incorporated based on further project feasibility assessments and funding commitments. The 2017 Master Plan builds on preceding Master Plans which are successively updated to respond to changes in economic opportunities and community and stakeholder expectations. A number of Major Development Plans (MDPs) have been approved since the 2011 Master Plan including: Southern Cross University (SCU) Building C and at Grade Car Park MDP July 2015 Instrument Landing System (ILS) MDP January 2016 Project LIFT (Let s Invest For Tomorrow) MDP February 2016 These plans have been carefully considered as they provide a detailed overview of future facilities and infrastructure outlay over the short medium term. They give a strong indication of future internal employment and visitor attractors and provide strategic direction for the whole Master Plan. 20 Gold Coast Airport 2017 Master Plan

10 Figure 2.4 Illustrative Twenty-Year Airport Development Plan

2 THE MASTER PLAN 23

2 THE MASTER PLAN 23 THE MASTER PLAN 2.1 Purpose of the Master Plan A Master Plan provides the airport operator, the Commonwealth, State and Local Governments, the local community, aviation industries